


Guess, Monster.

by chaotic_charlie



Category: haikyuu
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not beta read we die like Daichi, goshiki is a BABY CHILD, haikyuu!! - Freeform, like it’s the whole point but there’s a LOT of context, oh god i need sleep, seriously this is very teenage angsty, so does my sleeping schedule omg, sorry y’all but like. only a hint of ushiten, sorry y’all tsukiyama are assholes for a moment, tendou has no idea how to feelings, ushiten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:40:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26833081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaotic_charlie/pseuds/chaotic_charlie
Summary: At first, Tendou thought that it wasn’t so bad. Maybe, it was possible to reclaim that nickname and find comfort in it.Eventually, though, he realized that it wasn’t really that different.
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 138





	Guess, Monster.

**Author's Note:**

> hiya hiya!! this is like my first time ever writing HQ fanfics... of course it’s for my boy. let me know what you guys think!!
> 
> edit one: there has been some minor fixes :)

When someone asks you, “When did you fall in love,” normally you lie. You say, “Oh, right away!” Or you name some epic bullshit story as the moment you just couldn’t contain your feelings anymore.

Tendou Satori was a little different. If you asked him when he fell in love, he would also lie. Tendou would say that he never did.

But that’s simply not true. He did fall in love, though the story isn’t epic at all. 

Tendou’s whole life, it felt, he was followed by a single word: Monster.

His elementary peers certainly treated Tendou like a monster. Sometimes they would take his lunch or steal his school supplies; Other times they threw rocks and taunted him with his own name. The sick part of Tendou, the one he buried deep under all the layers of his consciousness, supposed that this treatment was better than being outright ignored. 

“Satori just looks so creepy.”

“Don’t use his given name!”

“He’s just a monster. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

Then, Tendou had fought tooth and nail to move on. He left it all behind, as much as he could, and started over. 

And yet, the word monster followed him.

The very first time he heard his new nickname, it nearly sent him into a panic. 

“You’re like some kind of Guess Monster, huh Tendou?” 

The hardening ball of dread in Tendou’s stomach didn’t stop him from laughing along. 

“Yeah,” Tendou managed, “You could say that.”

In reality, Tendou had just learned empathy the hard way. Guess what they think of you. Guess what they’re going to say. 

Guess what to say back, that will make them shut up. Guess what words will cut just enough for self defense.

Guess, monster.

At first, Tendou thought that it wasn’t so bad. Maybe, it was possible to reclaim that nickname and find comfort in it.

Eventually, though, he realized that it wasn’t really that different. 

To those it benefited, ‘Guess Monster’ was a threat. A weapon. 

To those being threatened, it was scary. Looming. 

In a follow up match against Karasuno, Tendou felt like a monster. He said and did things that definitely qualified him for the role.

When Semi smacked his back supportively and said, “That’s our Guess Monster for you!” Tendou smiled. Inside he felt the ugly anger rear it’s head.

Tsukishima, a middle blocker from Karasuno, heard the cheer. Tendou knew from the smirk on Tsukishima’s face that this was going to mean trouble.

“Did you hear that, Tadashi?” Tsukishima snarled, “Guess Monster. He certainly looks the part, yeah?”

The smaller pinch server nodded and laughed along with Tsukishima. Tendou couldn’t help himself; He raked his eyes over them both and assessed them.

Tsukishima didn’t flinch under Tendou’s gaze, but the pinch server- Tadashi?- did. 

Tendou grinned to himself. Easy.

“Alright, that’s enough comments from the Wicked Witch and his spotted toad,” Tendou said airily. He made sure to stare directly at Tadashi’s freckles. From the way they both choked, Tendou knew he had struck a nerve.

With a flourish and a cackle, Tendou turned away and went back to his position. He had dealt his damage, and he was satisfied.. Almost.

There was no satisfaction in the pit of his stomach. He felt the familiar sting of guilt, as well as the shame from how powerful it felt to retort. The angry monster had reared its head and bared its fangs.

The game ended up as a loss for Shiritorizawa. Tendou didn’t know what to say to comfort his team, so he remained silent like the rest of them.

Goshiki seemed to blame himself, and that simply wouldn’t do.

“Tsutomuuuu, I can see you overthinking.”

“It’s just- Just-“ Goshiki took in a deep breath. “I failed you guys. How can I be the ace if I keep messing everything up?”

“You’ll get better with practice.” Tendou was surprised to hear Wakatoshi cut in. 

After a while of attempting to console Goshiki, who had fumbled a few times more than usual, Tendou was disgusted to find himself annoyed. His friend needed emotional support, and yet he felt irritation at Goshiki’s insistence that he was an awful player.

“I can’t guess block like you. I’m not a monster!”

For a moment, Tendou couldn’t formulate words. It felt like someone had stabbed a heated knife into his chest and twisted.

“Yeah, well, not all of us can be terrible people with above average blocking skills.” The words left Tendou’s mouth before his brain caught up. He immediately covered himself with a laugh, and wasted no time brushing off the looks he received from Goshiki, Shirabu, and Semi.

At the next practice, everyone seemed especially on edge around Tendou. Maybe he was projecting.

Eventually he managed to push the feeling away and go on, but then things became extremely awkward when the team was washing up in the locker room. No one spoke to Tendou.

As he was about to leave, Tendou felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Tendou.”

“Wakatoshi.”

“Stay, I want to discuss something with you.”

Tendou couldn’t help but feel tense. He knew that Wakatoshi had a weird habit of seeming overly serious about mundane topics; For all Tendou knew, he just wanted to talk about farming or something.

However, his hopes for a boring conversation were shattered when Wakatoshi began with, “I do not think you are a bad person.”

“Aww, Wakatoshiiii, thank you. I didn’t know you thought so highly of me!~” Tendou immediately deflected.

“I am being serious. You are not a bad person.”

“Well, Wakatoshi, you don’t really ever know! Anyone could be a bad person, in their head.” 

Wakatoshi seemed to sit on that. His frown deepened as if he was truly mulling it over. 

“You are correct, I suppose. However...” Wakatoshi met Tendou’s eyes. “I do not think you could ever be a horrible person.”

Tendou almost felt the need to scoff. “I’m a monster, Ushijima, remember?” Wakatoshi almost seemed puzzled by the sudden formality.

“Monsters are just beings we don’t understand yet.”

So if you asked Tendou Satori when he fell in love, he’d say never. The truth is, he did. He fell in love right in his highschool locker room.


End file.
